Caring For Goats

If you have made the decision to purchase a goat or multiple goats, it is important that you know how to properly care for them. Goats require very specific care if you want them to stay healthy (and I assume that you do) and safe. Not knowing how the basics of goat care can result in sickly animals that you may be forced to put down. A lot of illnesses and problems can be prevented. It is typically much easier to prevent a problem then to have to deal with them after the fact.

Goats may be purchased for a variety of reasons. Some breeds make great companions and pets while others provide excellent meat and milk. Whatever your individual reason is for purchasing these extraordinary animals, you do need to know how to take care of them. You’ll find some great tips in this article. We will be discussing fencing, housing, food needs and general health requirements. Although this information is abbreviated, it will give you a pretty good start to keeping your goats healthy and most importantly, alive.

Where do I start?

To begin, it is important that you prepare your home or farm for your goat(s) before you take possession of them. You will not want to have to deal with fencing and other issues after you have them on your property. If you do, you will likely experience a number of problems needlessly. One of the first things that you will need to do is build or have a fence built. It needs to be big enough so that the goats can not jump out and no predators can get in. It is important that your goats to not get out and cause damage to your neighbors’ property. You also will not want any predators to get inside your fence and injure or kill your goats.

Next, you will need a pen. It needs to big enough so that the goats have plenty of room. You won’t want them crowded or on top of each other. They won’t take kindly to this. The pen should be sturdy and secure and have good ventilation. It needs to have a roof and insulation if you live in a cold climate. If you have both male and female goats they will need to have separate pens. There does need to be bedding in the pen. This is generally made up of straw or wood shavings.

Goats are social and so it is a very good idea to have more then one. Keep them together so that they have another animal around.

When it comes to food, goats are typically grazers. They also like hay and grain feeds. Be careful not to suddenly change their diet as they don’t take well to this. Goats need clean water. One goat may drink up to 5 gallons every day. Therefore, make sure that they have enough plenty to drink. If you live in a hot climate, this is especially important.

Other tips include ensuring your goats get checkups as necessary, provide regular care for their hooves, use flycatchers, shave them if you live in a hot area and make sure that they are wormed.